


It's Okay to Cry on New Year's Eve

by yeah_w_r_i_t_e



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Everyone Is Alive, Feelings, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hugs, New Year's Eve, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Endgame, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28455582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeah_w_r_i_t_e/pseuds/yeah_w_r_i_t_e
Summary: Tony sighed and grabbed Peter's hands with his own, making him look up. "What's bothering you, kiddo? Don't tell me you're fine. You're not."Peter looked at Tony's concerned expression, then dropped his gaze down to where the man was rubbing circles in his palms. "I-I don't know. It's stupid.""It's not stupid. Whatever it is, whatever you're feeling, it's valid. You've been through some crap, kid."OR: Peter talks through some end-of-the-year feelings and gets lots of hugs from Tony.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	It's Okay to Cry on New Year's Eve

**Author's Note:**

> So it's my first post and I'm pretty nervous!
> 
> I was working on a multi-chapter fic featuring our favorite spider BUT I wanted to have at least one story posted in 2020 so here you go!!
> 
> (I'm definitely not using this as a way to work of my conflicting feelings about 2020 whaaat)
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy!!

Peter's comforter was too scratchy.

He was used to sub-par furniture after years of barely having enough money to scrape by, but he was pretty sure this comforter cost several hundred dollars. It wasn't supposed to be scratchy. Had it always been this way? He didn't like it. It rubbed against his skin like sandpaper, the gritty feeling making him want to throw up. It itched, like-

It reminded him of-

"You okay, bud?"

Peter turned his head to see Tony standing in the doorway to his room. The man was wearing the bright red sweater Morgan had gotten him for Christmas. It had "Super Dad" on it in white and several yellow pom-poms and was definitely ridiculous but he wore it anyway.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Peter's non-answer and rapped his knuckles against the doorframe. "Knock, knock. Can I come in?"

Peter shrugged. Tony apparently took that as confirmation because he walked into the room and sat beside him on Peter's bed. Peter slid over to make room for him and looked out the window at the night sky.

"You should probably be at the party," Peter said. "You're the host." Everyone else was outside, eating hot dogs and playing frisbee. Morgan had somehow convinced her parents to rent a whole blow-up bouncy house, and someone had let the alpaca loose. Normally Peter would have thrived in this chaos, but today he had only spent fifteen minutes outside before heading back to his room to get away.

"I think Pepper's got everything handled," Tony replied. "I'm more worried about you. Why aren't you outside having fun? The fireworks are starting soon."

"Fireworks hurt my ears," Peter mumbled, picking at a loose thread on his bedding. The thread wasn't scratchy. It didn't remind him of things better left behind. Things he couldn't leave behind no matter how hard he tried.

"Then come to the kitchen with me," Tony suggested. "We can have hot chocolate. I'll even throw in extra marshmallows."

Peter shook his head. "I'm not really in the mood."

Neither of them spoke for a minute. Peter picked at his fingernails while Tony studied his face.

Then Tony sighed and grabbed Peter's hands with his own, making him look up. "What's bothering you, kiddo? Don't tell me you're fine. You're not."

Peter looked at Tony's concerned expression, then dropped his gaze down to where the man was rubbing circles in his palms. "I-I don't know. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid. Whatever it is, whatever you're feeling, it's valid. You've been through some crap, kid."

Peter took a deep breath and looked back up at his mentor. "It's just- it's New Year's Eve. Tomorrow's gonna be a whole new year. But I'm not totally over this year yet."

Tony nodded, and Peter felt a sliver of warmth at the thought of being able to confide in him. He took another breath before continuing. 

"So many things happened this year- I got snapped, and I know that didn't happen this year but it feels like it did, and then I came back, and you almost died, and you have a daughter now and- and I missed out on so much." Peter sniffed and was surprised to realize his eyes were watering. He felt a warm tear slip down his cheek but made no move to wipe it away.

Tony just kept rubbing circles in his hands, a constant reassuring presence.

"If I didn't get dusted," Peter continued, "I would be twenty-three by now. Some of my old classmates are twenty-three now. They've graduated and gotten jobs and gotten on with their lives, and I'm stuck at the same age I was five years ago. Time seems to move so fast now 'cause now the year is over and it seems like everybody's moving on but I'm still stuck in this year and-"

Peter's confession was cut off by a sob, and before he knew it Tony was pulling him into a hug.

"I've got you, kid," he heard Tony say. "It's okay to cry."

"But it's so stu-stupid," Peter said into the man's shoulder. "Everybody else is handling it fine."

Tony shook his head. "I assure you, kid, nobody else is handling it as well as you think they are. And even if they were, it's fine that you aren't. You're your own person, you have different experiences and different coping mechanisms."

Peter shuddered and choked back more tears. Despite every voice in his head telling him otherwise, he had to admit the man made a point.

"It's been a terrible year," Peter mumbled.

"Terrible," Tony agreed.

"But I don't want it to be over."

Tony hummed. "I can't freeze time, kid. I can't stop the year from ending. But I can help you get through this the best I can, okay?"

Peter nodded. "Thanks, Tony. But that means I'm gonna help you, too, you know."

Tony smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way, kid."

They didn't talk for a while, content with staying in their embrace. They sat there as the sky got darker and the stars became more visible outside. They sat there as the first firework went off with a bang, and soon there was a whole cacophony of bangs and sizzles. But it was quiet inside.

It was Peter who finally broke the silence.

"Tony."

"Yeah, kid?"

"I think I need therapy."

Tony sucked in a breath, and Peter pulled out of the hug to see the man smiling.

"I'll get you therapy, kid. The best therapy there is."

Peter smiled back. "And… you said there was hot chocolate?"

"Follow me, kiddo."

*** ***

Later, the two sat side-by-side on the couch in front of the TV, watching the celebrations on the news. They sipped hot chocolate and snuggled together under a blanket.

(Pepper had come in earlier, wondering if they were alright, but when she saw them hugging on the couch, the TV paused so both their sobs were clearly heard, she left them in peace. They had each other.)

So they sat there side-by-side after their tears dried and more hot chocolate was made and were content without the party outside.

They didn't need to watch the fireworks.

(They didn't need to be okay right now.)

They had each other.

"Happy New Year's, Tony."

"Happy New Year's, Peter."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! I might turn this into a series where I write a fic for each holiday (but no promises lol)
> 
> Tell me what you think, please! Constructive criticism (or adoration and praise, either works) are fine with me!
> 
> I hope you all have a great New Year's Eve! I love you all!


End file.
